Evolution and the Myth of Creationism - Book

What does the word "Theory" as in say "Theory of Evolution" mean to you? Have you used the word in your conversations and if yes what was the context? Was it something like --

"The Redskins are great defensively (or offensively, I don't care really), my theory is that they will run the table and be on top of NFC East" (yeah right and I just won a million dollars at the lotteries) or "Pakistan is a victim of terrorism not the brain behind it. They are in fact doing their best to catch Osama, my theory is Osama is not in Wazirstan, but in fact moved out of South Asia" (sure and they had no hand in shipping North Korea a fully disassembled bomb with an instruction manual).

I am sure we all have our various "pet theories". Unfortunately the word theory is a very overloaded word that means one thing to a layman (I am not fond of the word "layperson", it sounds so PC. But that is a topic for another discussion) and something entirely different to men and women of science (which includes us).

Usually when we use it, it means a hunch, a gut feeling, an instinct, not necessarily backed by reason or facts. When used in science, it means a "Theory" with a CAPITAL "T", it is in fact quite the opposite of gut feeling. For scientists "theory" and "fact" do not necessarily stand in opposition.

So what is the point? Well it leads to a book, I like so much, I feel it should have been the subject of my first blog.

Evolution and the Myth of Creationism, by Tim M. Berra

When I came to this country in 1989, I was not aware of any controversy on the subject of Evolution. I had taken it as a fact since that was how science was taught at school. I would say for a third world country our teaching methodology was first rate and for a first world country knowledge of science and scientific methodology amongst the people in US is abysmal especially in the Bible belt. (Most Indians also have no clue about scientific methodology, at least religion thank fully had not entered the classroom when we were students. Our parents did not insist that the schools teach us the Dasavatara as facts of science!!)

To go back to the word Theory, I am taking a quote from this book (the emphasis are from the book)

The scientific method involves the observation of a phenomena or events in the real world, the statement of a problem, some reflection and deduction on the observed facts and their possible causes and effects, the formation of a hypothesis, the testing of the hypothesis (experimentation or prediction) and - where the tests repeatedly confirm the hypothesis - the erection of a theory.

I really liked this description, I am ashamed to say I did not know this was how one came up with a scientific theory. This book is a point by point rebuttal of Creationism. It is a very easy read (about 150 pages with lot of illustrations). It is meant for people like us who have a studied some science but not a lot of biology but are familiar with the scientific methodology. The preface and first chapter can be read standalone just to get an insight into this book.

On the other hand The U.S. National Academy of Sciences has stated that

..intelligent design "and other claims of supernatural intervention in the origin of life" are not science because they cannot be tested by experiment, do not generate any predictions, and propose no new hypotheses of their own...

If we are going to raise our children in this country, I feel, we need to be particularly aware of this issue. There are enough initiatives that attempt to push Creationism or its variant Intelligent Design on our children masquerading as science. Although the movement received a major blow in Pennsylvania recently, unfortunately the political landscape is such that we have to keep slaying this demon repeatedly!!

Unlike hot-button subjects such as "Abortion Rights" or "Gun Control", where there is scope for having different opinions, Evolution is as much a fact as Gravitation. Scientist may debate on a nuance but since they are people with their own agenda and ego, their shrill arguments sometimes gives the impression to the average person that there is scope for doubts. There are none. So in the future if you mention "Theory or Evolution", you could say "Facts about/of Evolution".

More than any other book on this subject, please read this one, if not for your personal edification, but for the sake of your children.

Now let us add the usual caveat; there are no certainties. Newton's Corpuscular theory was well established till it was shown that light to be a wave. This lasted till the end of 19th century when it was shown to have dual nature. All Theories exists till a better one takes its place. Sometimes the new one completely demolishes the old one, at other times, it enhances it.

There are several other such examples that rather than casting a doubt on science or scientific method, demonstrates its ability to be self correcting. A theory can come into existence for various reasons, but its longevity depends only on its quality.